Education

Our children will be more successful in school – and healthier – if we, as parents, make sure our children do some very simple things.
In fact, taking the simple steps below to make sure our children are healthy – both mentally and physically – is probably the most important factor in how they do in school. Here is what you can do.

INDIAN LAND – Jerry Honeycutt is on a quest, determined to turn the notion of public-school physical education on its ear.
In an era when schools are placing increased emphasis on areas such as math, science and technology to help build a competitive future workforce, PE classes may often be overlooked and undervalued – perhaps even eliminated entirely.
But according to Honeycutt, head PE coach at Indian Land High School, physical education can be so much more than kids idly shooting baskets in the gym, the occasional softball game, and an easy A.

The school board election is heating up, with incumbents Janice Dabney and Chairman Bobby Parker facing challenges from two political newcomers.
Lancaster natives Melissa Jones-Horton and John Mahaffey have filed to be on the Nov. 6 ballot – Jones-Horton for Dabney’s District 5 seat and Mahaffey against Parker in District 3.
“I just think there needs to be a change,” Mahaffey said Thursday. “If you’re not willing to make a change, everything always stays the same. I think that we’ve got room for improvement.”

Back to school isn’t only for the 13,500 students returning to Lancaster County schools, but also for thousands of college students at USC Lancaster and York Technical College – maybe even some senior citizens taking advantage of free tuition as well.
USCL’s first day of classes is Aug. 23. Enrollment is ongoing, and USCL is hosting fall enrollment week through Aug. 3. The last day to register or change classes is Aug. 28. School officials estimate about 1,900 students will be attending the college this year.

Get the kids ready and celebrate the developmental milestone of kindergarten. Countdown to Kindergarten is a free event that brings families, educators and community members together to support rising kindergartners as they begin their journey of learning.

Healthy, balanced meals make so much difference in how well students do in school and how healthy they are when they become adults.
Study after study has shown how much difference a good breakfast can make on a student’s ability to focus and do well in class.
And the staff in our school cafeterias work hard to give our students those kinds of meals – meals that taste great and provide the nutrition and energy our students need to grow strong and succeed in school every day of the school year.

In just a few days, more than 6,000 students will begin boarding school buses to ride to and from Lancaster County schools. And more than 70 buses will operate in Lancaster County School District to accomplish this task.
When the school year ends, our buses will have traveled more than 1.25 million miles during the 2018-19 school year.
School bus travel is statistically one of the safest modes of transportation on the road. This safety record directly results from the intense training our drivers receive and the safety design of our buses.

Classes at Carolina Christian Academy begin Aug. 20, the same day as Lancaster County’s public schools.
The school, a day ministry of Fellowship Bible Church, will open its doors to about 183 students in preschool through 12th grade.

Taking children to their school’s open house or back-to-school night is one of the best ways to acclimate them to their new school setting before the first day of school, according to the National Association of School Psychologists.
Lancaster County schools will hold the following back-to school events and open houses.

A.R. Rucker Middle
Eighth-graders and their parents will meet in the cafeteria at 6 p.m. Aug. 16. Eighth-graders in honor classes must attend a parent/student meeting at 5:30 p.m. in the cafeteria.

Supply lists for Lancaster County School District schools are now available online and in local stores.
“We hope the lists help you avoid long lines at stores the first week of school and give you time to shop around for the best buys on supplies,” said LCSD Superintendent Jonathan Phipps.
Lists will be available at:
◆ Buford – Dollar General.
◆ Elgin – Family Dollar.
◆ Heath Springs – Dollar General